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Workshops

Artists working in a wide range of disciplines provide quality art instruction through hands-on learning opportunities for people of all ages and all walks of life. The EHAC provides workshop participants with a fully equipped workspace and a professionally trained staff to assist in whatever ways are necessary. We welcome people from all levels of artistic experience to explore, learn and draw inspiration from each other, the beauty of this place, its history and culture. We tailor our workshops to small groups because we believe that intimate, intensive learning experiences are where creativity thrives.

Events for June 2017

Jun 30

Poppy Installation

5:00 a.m. to 6:00 a.m.

Please join Deb Wickwire and Artist-in-Residence Jim Brunelle in the installation of ceramic poppies, to commence at 5 pm. This will be the second year that English Harbour will display these poppies to honor the Newfoundland Regiment and to remember what happened at Beaumont Hamel on July 1, 1916.

Events for July 2017

Jul 01

July 1st with Matthew Byrne

8:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.Fee: $25.00

EHAA is pleased to partner with the English Harbour Recreation Committee to present our province's finest balladeer.

Storytelling through song is a fundamental duty of traditional music and one that Matthew Byrne performs brilliantly.Born into a family of Newfoundland music makers, Matthew's repertoire is heavily influenced by that unique musical lineage "the weaving of a great story with a beautiful melody" and he supports this tradition with powerful vocals, polished guitar work, and a presence that fills the room.His repertoire transcends time and place and hislive performance reminds us how satisfying traditional songs can be when stripped down to their basic elements.Byrne's music has traveled well beyond the rugged shores of his Newfoundland home since his 2010 debut, Ballads. Touring as both a solo artist as well as singer with The Dardanelles, he has graced major festival stages worldwide. With his second album, Hearts & Heroes, winning Traditional Recording of the Year at the 2015 Canadian Folk Music Awards, Byrne further established himself as one of Canada's most authentic and vital traditional voices.Matthew Byrne is set to release his highly-anticipated third album - Horizon Lines - in Summer, 2017. This collection is a deeper exploration of traditional songs from both sides of the Atlantic, as well as one original ballad and a guest appearance by Matthew's dad (Joseph Byrne). Horizon Lines continues Matthew's journey through his musical lineage with ever-evolving guitar skills and accompaniment from some of Newfoundland's finest players.Horizon Lines is available online and in-store on August 11th.

Ian Foster is a Newfoundland-born songwriter who has toured in Canada,the U.S. and Europe since 2007. A multiple East Coast Music Association (ECMA) and MusicNL award nominee, he has released seven albums since 2006 (currently touring 2017's Sleeper Years) , and has had his music played on radio internationally. A finalist for The International Songwriting Competition (ISC), he has co-written with various artists, including the legendary Canadian folk artist Ron Hynes. Ian's story and character driven lyrics mixed with a modern musical sensibility have been described as "a great example of what a 21st century folk performer should be doing". (CBC Radio).

Join Artist-in-Residence Jim Brunelle on a creating adventure.No art experience necessary!! And if you are an artist please come and experiement with something new.Painting, gluing, ripping and tearing, cutting and pasting! Get out the paint, pastels, pencils, glue, erasers...fun.For all ages!

Alan Stein July 16 to September 16 Opening July 16 at 2pm.An exhibition of wood engraving illustrations from "Viewfinder" a limited edition book of 18 poems by Michael Crummey. The exhibition includes charcoals, sketches, working drawings and proofs from the production of this hand printed book, as well as hand printed broadsides, and pastels from the area.

Intelligent, resourceful and intrepid the red fox thrives in environments from the Arctic tundra to the spectacular coast of English Harbour, Newfoundland to deep into the heart of bustling cities. These resilient creatures are able to change their behaviour to successfully make a home in new environments at a rate that astounds even the scientists who have spent a lifetime studying them.

Theyre a complex species a fascinating species to study. You think you know it all and then you realize you know very little. Stephen Harris, University of Bristol

Fox Tales reveals new research into everything from their first hours of life to their first steps into unchartered territory to offer a visually rich and fascinating look into the secret life of red foxes.

Produced by Fantastic Mrs. Fox Inc. in Association with CBC and WNET Thirteen.With participation from The Canadian Media Fund, Rogers Documentary Fund, Rogers Telefund,and the Canadian and Ontario Film & Television Production Tax Credits.

Events for August 2017

Aug 01

Red Moon Road

8:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.Fee: $20.00

Red Moon Road makes a much bigger sound than one would expect from a trio. With Sheena front and center, flanked by "her two Daniels", it's a visually-appealing, high-energy and well-choreographed show incorporating: impeccable three-part harmonies, a roots drum kit split entertainingly but pragmatically between Sheena and the "Hatted-Daniel" (who also strums an acoustic guitar with an extra custom pickup allowing him to simultaneously play bass), the Franco-Manitoban "Moustached-Daniel" covering lead parts on mandolin, banjo, lap steel, and organ (sometimes within the same song) while Sheena's unmistakable heart-moving and soulful voice soars above it all. The commanding and engaging presentation is equal parts polished songwriting, undeniable musicianship, spontaneous repartee and seamlessly-blended, masterful storytelling the last a dimension in which the band is both renown and unique.

Tickets available at eventbrite.ca

Limited seating at the door or call 464-2424(Note that this event is part of the Trinity Bight Folk festival (in conjunction with Two Whales Coffee Shop) which includes five shows and a free beer at the Port Rexton brewery. For details go back to the calendar and click on the Festival event.)

Join us for the first annual Trinity Bight Folk Festival! Two Whales Coffee Shop and English Harbour Arts Association are teaming up to bring you five shows in ten days. Port Rexton Brewery is stepping up with a free beer for festival fans! Here's the deal:Buy a festival ticket for $80 and see all the shows. Take your ticket to the Brewery and get a celebratory beer. Not bad eh! Individual shows are still available at $20. (This is a recent development and we realize that some people have already bought tickets online for some English Harbour shows. In that case EH will be glad to refund those purchasers if they would rather have a festival ticket.)

Tickets are available at eventbrite.ca (enter Trinity Bight Folk festival)Or you can pick them up at Two Whales Coffee Shop or English Harbour Arts Centre. There may be tickets available at the doors also but they would be at the regular price of $20.

Master storyteller and multi-instrumental performer Gordie Tentrees has arrived. His sixth album "Less is More" brings together his knack for melody with his amazing ability to hold an audience in the palm of his hands (both during and between songs) and is a deeply personal, moving, melodic and sometimes humorous look at life through the eyes of a unique and infectious personality. Yukon based, Ontario raised, farm boy, golden glove boxer, school teacher, youth counselor turned folk artist Tentrees has released 6 records touring North America, UK, Australia and Europe up to 200 concerts each year, nominated for Western Canadian Music Awards, International Song Competitions and toured with Kelly Joe Phelps, Fred Eaglesmith, Steve Poltz and Mary Gauthier. Produced by Juno award winner Bob Hamilton, the album features Tentrees blend of folk, roots and blues sounds on 11 tracks including "Camelot Hotel" written by Mary Gauthier. Tentrees plays dobro, guitar, harmonica, with stellar accompaniment from Aiden Tentrees on upright bass & Fabian Brook on guitar and fiddle. The album also includes guest appearances by Yukon musician Patrick Hamilton, Annie Avery, Lonnie Powell and the voice of east coast darling 2015 Juno winner Catherine MacLellan.

"Sounds like an album Woody Guthrie or Bob Dylan might have done if they were starting out today" Irish Post (4/5 Stars)

Tickets available at eventbrite.ca

Limited seating at the door or call 464-2424

(Note that this event is part of the Trinity Bight Folk festival (in conjunction with Two Whales Coffee Shop) which includes five shows and a free beer at the Port Rexton brewery. For details go back to the calendar and click on the Festival event.)

Nova Scotia's Greg Simm and Newfoundland's Dave Panting.This acoustic duo draw on musical savvy and experience combined with a relaxed and spontaneous stage presence to take you on a "string driven ride down the backroads of Britain, Ireland and North America".Their set is a balanced mix of songs and instrumentals from several genres:including Celtic folk, country blues and swing.

DAVE PANTING BIOA multi - instrumentalist, singer, composer and producer who hails from St. John's, NL., Dave has four decades as a fulltime professional musician under his belt. He plays acoustic and electric guitar, members of the mandolin family, banjo and bass as well as Greek bouzouki, durass and baglamas. He is a founding member of the influential Newfoundland folk band Figgy Duff and Atlantic Canada's award winning multi genre group Rawlins Cross. For five years he was a member of the Irish Descendants, Juno award winners and one of Newfoundland's longstanding musical mainstays. Dave has toured all over Canada as well as in the UK, Ireland, USA, Europe and Scandinavia, Mexico and South America.He is a long time AF of M,SOCAN and Music NL member as well as being a winner of the Newfoundland and Labrador Folk Festival's lifetime achievement award. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________GREG SIMM BIOGreg has been performing music across Canada and beyond for the last forty years. Also a product of the WRHS music program under the direction of Brian Johnston, Greg has recorded, toured and performed with artists as musically diverse as Denny Doherty (Mamas & Papas), Gordon Stobbe (Up Home Tonight) and Kendra MacGillivray. His folk trio Prairie Sea featuring Jim Bell and Kim deLaforest has recently released their second CD "Distance". Greg continues to travel to Nunavut twice a year to teach music to Inuit Youth in remote Arctic communities with Tusaranaarniq Sivumut (www.musicforthefuture.ca). In 2015, he was named a lifetime friend of the Lunenburg Folk Harbour Festival.

Tickets available at eventbrite.ca

Limited seating at the door or call 464-2424

(Note that this event is part of the Trinity Bight Folk festival (in conjunction with Two Whales Coffee Shop) which includes five shows and a free beer at the Port Rexton brewery. For details go back to the calendar and click on the Festival event.)

Nick Earle and Joe Coffin are emerging blues artists from St. John's, NL who have released their debut album "Nick Earle and Joe Coffin Live at The Citadel House", earning them award nominations for MusicNL Jazz/Blues Recording of the Year and Canadian Folk Music Award for Young Performer of the Year. Adopting a distinctive style which is well beyond their years, they draw inspiration from blues greats such as Robert Johnson, Eric Clapton and Muddy Waters. Rich soulful vocals and exceptional guitar playing are just two of the descriptions that come to mind when watching these two execute their skills. Earle and Coffin have already performed with many of Newfoundland's top roots and blues musicians and have learned to demonstrate the utmost professionalism and style.(Update: The guys won "Young performer of the Year" at the Canadian Folk Music Awards!)

Come on out and bring your guitar, accordion, banjo or flugelhorn. Sing, yodel, recite or amaze us with your air guitar....or your air flugelhorn. We are looking for all levels of talent and if you are Bruce Springsteen or buddy from up in the droke the pay is the same. This is a chance for all hands to try out their talents and, who knows, there might be a scout or two in the audience. Next stop Hollywood...or Holyrood. Call 690-7013 to register or have your agent do it for you. Admission by donation. BREAKING NEWS! This event will be hosted by Brian Hiscock. The bard of Champneys!

The Celtic Fiddlers from St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada, are a vibrant group of 13 young professional musicians, ages 14-24. This unique group of fiddlers is accompanied by piano, mandolin, mandola, tin whistle, Irish flute, bodhran, cajone, accordion, banjo, bouzouki, bass, voice, guitar and drums. They have gained an outstanding reputation for their eclectic style and presentation. Collectively the group has mastered 53 instruments!

It's film night at the Centre. Please join us for two productions from the 2017 Nickel Independent film festival.

Admission is by donation.

"I heard the birch tree whisper in the night"

Following Newfoundland artist Gerry Squires as he works to complete his final painting before succumbing to his illness, filmmaker Kenneth Harvey shapes this moving documentary with candid footage of conversations with Squires close family and friends, fellow artists, and the artist himself.

When Gerald Squires passed in Fall 2016, he left an enormous body of work that was rooted fully in the Newfoundland landscape. Though he received many honours for his lifetime contribution of artistic work, perhaps one of the best gifts comes to us through this documentary as Gerry shares his insight on mortality, spirituality and the ongoing quest of the artist to explore the emotional landscape of living and dying.

"Crocuses" A film by Wanda Nolan

On the last day of packing up her home, Rita cant shake the regret she feels about her late husband.

Events for September 2017

Sep 08

The Once

8:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.Fee: $30.00

A modern indie folk trio from Newfoundland, The Once has collected a trio of Canadian Folk Music Awards, numerous ECMA awards, was named Artist of the Year by the Newfoundland & Labrador Arts Council. They have earned not one, but two JUNO nominations for best Roots/Traditional album, the most recent in acknowledgement of Departures (2014). While originally known for its haunting interpretations of traditional music, The Once has at long last uncovered a sound that truly represents their inner artistry.

After 40 years, St. John's-based Crooked Stovepipe continues its run as the oldest bluegrass band in Canada. Over the years founding members Neil Rosenberg and Ted Rowe have taken the band through four CDs plus a children's recording with Colleen Power. Their third CD, "Just In Case", was voted "Bluegrass Recording of the Year" by the ECMA, and MusicNL named Power "Female Vocalist of the Year" for her collaboration with the band.

They have played often on radio and television, and appeared at numerous concerts and festivals around the province. The band has also performed in Nova Scotia, PEI, Ontario, and Alberta. Neil and Ted were founding members of the Bluegrass and Old-Time Country Music Society of Newfoundland and Labrador and Crooked Stovepipe has been featured regularly at its annual jamboree.

Ted's son Dave Rowe, Matt Hender and Carole Bestvater round out the band for 2017.

If you want to learn the basics of how the old masters painted, how to paint in oils in a very health friendly way, this is the course for you! This 5 day art retreat workshop is a condensed course with master glazer, Kathy Marlene Bailey. She will teach you the basics of Renaissance glazing processes and will finetune your skills in: colour perception and mixing, rendering, value perception, brushwork and depth illusion. You will learn valuable skills suitable for any artist, both novice and advanced.

Kathy Marlene Bailey lives in Burlington, Ontario. She graduated from the University of Toronto in Art Education and Sheridan College in Creative Arts and ever since, has been a practicing professional artist. In her first year of university, she had the pivotal experience of learning traditional glaze oil painting. Kathy is one of a handful of artists in Canada who works in this highly specialized field. Although her artistic focus has been exclusively painting for a number of years, Kathy, from about 1994 to 2004, had an extensive career focus as a sculptor, primarily making small, fine, handmodeled figurative sculptures.

She has participated for many years in commercial galleries, art events, and juried shows, three major exhibitions (one solo), and has won many awards for her painting. Kathy's work is currently being shown at the Christine Parker Gallery in St. John's.

As a child, Kathy grew up in Toronto with two artist parents, and cottaged in Haliburton County, where from being a tiny girl, she developed a fascination for nature and all its complexities, especially the dancing water. The Renaissance methods of oil painting she learned in university became an ideal medium for painting and exploring this wonder of water. The method has limitless gages to tweak and pull colour, value, contrast and colour quality. She could make transparency, translucency, opacity, light and dark, vivid and quiet colours dance together in rich harmonic melody, dancing to her eyes and soul.

She has completely enjoyed her extensive art teaching experiences where she "passes the baton" while specializing in technical training courses in traditional glaze oil painting, fundamental and advanced colour, as well as creativity skills development.

View Kathy's work or for more information visit her website:www.kathymarlenebailey.com

Deb Wickwire, of the English Harbour Arts Centre, is happy to assist with logistics of travel and accommodations. 860 558 0449 or debwickwire@yahoo.com

Janet Cull will be kicking off her "Island Soul Tour" this Fall to promote her critically-acclaimed new album, "Real Tough Love". Recently selected by Los Angeles-based Singer Universe Magazine as their "Best Vocalist of the Month", the tour will take Cull to a variety of theatres across Newfoundland. The performances will culminate in an opening slot for 4-time Grammy-winning superstar k.d. lang, in St. John's (Mile One, Sept. 14) Janet being hand-picked by lang for this prestigious gig. Janet will be joined on this tour by special guest Michael Hanrahan, who's played with a host of Newfoundland greats, including the Irish Descendants and Connemara. From Janet's powerhouse R&B-style rock, to Hanrahan's innovative take on traditional, this tour truly connects with the various facets of the Newfoundland soul.

Janet Cull has 2 previous albums to her credit - the first with the Janet Cull Band (MusicNL Album of the Year, 2004) and the second (with Kelly-Ann Evans), is the ECMA-nominated "People Get Ready". Janet has performed in local musicals as a principal singer/actor, including Hair, Cats, and most recently Jesus Christ Superstar. Cull has co-produced a string of sold-out provincial tours, including FOREVER 27, ABBA, Fleetwood Mac, The Women of Motown, Tina Turner and more. Check out www.janetcull.com

Since the first Irish fishermen travelled west, captivated by the promises of this abundant land, Newfoundland has been a bastion of Ireland's enchanting cultural heritage. It is a place where people still speak with the unmistakable lilt of their distant ancestors and where the rhythms of traditional music echo ancient tunes brought from far across the ocean. Their immigrant forefathers, of strong Munster stock, braved the harsh winds and tumultuous waves. By the mid-1800s, they comprised half the population of Newfoundland, leaving an indelible mark on the history, society and culture of the province. Through a unique musical lens, Cordeen will explore the legacy of the Irish in Newfoundland as they trace the story of traditional music, from songs of home to fresh new fusions.